Rotary engine.



B. B. BOWER, Sn. & G. G. BOWER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1908.

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ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION HLBD SEPT. 29, 190s.

' Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

B. B. BOWER, SB. & G. Gr. BOWER. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1908.

@@. l Patented Dec. 15,1908. @j g 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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B. B. BOWER, SR. & G. G. BOWER. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIOATION HLED SEPT. 29, 190B.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

5 SHBETS-SHBET 5.

W www W n UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON B. BOWER, VSR., AND GEORGE GORDON BOWER, OF BAINBRI-DGE,GEORG-'IA'.

ROTARY ENGINE'.

Specification of Lettera atent.

Patented' me. 15, reos-L Application-filed September 29, 1008. SerialNo. 455,282.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BYRON B. Bowne, Sr., and GEORGE G. BowER, citizensof the United States, residing in Bainbridge, in the county of Decaturand State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates t0 rotary engines of the class known as multiple\cylinder engines, i. e., those inwhich a plurality of pistous areemployed, operating in a corresponding number of cylinders or cha-mbers,and the objects of our invention are to eliminate in this class ofengines all reciprocatingmovement of the operating arts and to secureperfect gravity or centri u al bal-v ance and perfect steam balance, a ldead centers being avoided in order that the mechanism may operatefreely and evenly without undue strain or unequal wear.

Our improved rotary engine is especiiixlly designed to be operated bysteam and 'l herein be described as so operated, but it will beunderstood that we contemplate using other motive fluid or force also.

In carrying out our inventiona we employ a main driving-shaft on whichismounted a horizontally arranged hollow cylinder, open at opposite endsand held a-.suitable distance from the shaft by appropriate supportswhich permit a free passage of air or other cooling medium throu h thecylinder, when the cooling thereof is esirable. On the periphery of thiscylinder is-mounted a-series of ringsfor flanges, preferably, eight,allof equal diameter, equal width, and suitably spaced to accommodatethe several pistons and rotary abutments-arranged on opposite sidesthereof.

The pistons are rigidly secured to the cylinder between the rings orflan es and such pistons and flanges are inclose by a cylindrical casingwhich closely fits the peripheries of' the pistons and flanges, whilepermitting the same to freely rotate. flanges serve to divide the spacebetween the piston cvlinder and its-casing-intoia series of iston. cambers, eachof which is separated rom all the others-and actsindependentlythereof.

We preferably employ seven pistons, six of which are of the same shape,size and weight and one double the size and'weight of each of theothers. The lar e pistonand two of the others are arrange on4 one sideof the The rings o1'-v cylinder, while the other four pistons aie die#posed on the opposite side thereof, thus prod viding a perfect balanceas regards gravity and centrifugal force, and a' so a perfect. steambalance andavoiding dead centers, as' will more fully appear later onin` this specication.

On each side of the piston-carxiyingwylin der is mounted a shaft,carrying an a propriate number of rotary abutments p aced opposite thepistons with which they coperate and each ofwhich is recessed to at theproper time receive its piston as the latterV passes it and within eachsuch recessie pref erably arranged a loosely mounted bearing piece orshoe for insuring. a steam-tight connection between the piston andabut-ment when said piston is in the recess of the abutment. The rotaryabutments are mounted in housings or casings which open into the casingof the piston-carrying-c linder and have steam spaces surrounding t erear portions of the abutments in order that the steam pressure on saidabutments may be equally distributed.

No valves are employed in our engine, the admission and exhaust portsbeing suitably opened and closed by the pistons as they rotate past saidports. The engine may be easily reversed by changingthe exhaust ports toserve as admission ports and using the admission ports for exhaust.Suitable valve mechanism is employed for this purpose.

The engine is so constructed that parts of the housing of the rotaryabutments may be readily removed to per-mit said abut'ments to be easilywithdraw-11 while the iston-carrying-cylinder with its pistons andpflanges may be readily Withdrawn endwise from its casing. The parts mayalso be quickly assembled by this construction. The shafts of thepistoncarrying-cylinder and the rotary abutments are geared to rotatesimultaneously and at precisely the same speed and means are providedfor holding the gearing in such relation as to insure the necessaryaccurate operation.

In the accompanying drawings, Flgure 1 is a perspective View of a rotaiyengme embodying our improvements. ig.. 2 shows a horizontal sectionthereof on the line 2f-2of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 shows a transverse section-onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a transverse section on'the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig.

5 is adetailview of one of the pistons showin how the steampackinFg-bars are preferab y arranged therein. ig. 6 is a detail viewshowing that the admission and exhaust ports are equal in width to thepistons.

- Fi 7 is aview similar to Figgwith parts in a iierent position and thisre also shows the pipe connections and the valve mechanism forcontrolling the admission and exhaust and for reversing the engine whendesired. Fig. 8 is a view of the valve mechanism showin the valve in adifferent position from that s own in Fi 7. Fig. 9 is a similar view ofthe valve mec anism with the valve set to shut ofi` or throttle theadmission of steam from the boiler to the pipe system. Fig. 10 is aperspective view of one set of rotary abutments. Fig. 11 is aperspective view of the other set of rotary abutments. Fig. 12 is aperspective view of the istoncarrying-cylinder and its istons and anges.

The piston-carrying cy inder A is mounted on what we call the maindriving-shaft B, as this shaft should be connected with the mechanism tobe operated. As shown in Fig. 4, the cylinder A is of larger diameterthan the shaft B and is held in place thereon by suitable supports orarms a of equal length, causing the periphery of the cylinder to beequally disposed at all points from the axis of the shaft. The cylinderA carries a plurality of pistons, preferably seven, there being a istonof comparatively large diameter D see Fig. 12), disposed midway betweenthe ends of the cylinder A, two smaller pistons D', D2, on oppositesides thereof on the same side of the c linder A and four pistons, D3,D4, D5, D6, of the same size as the pistons D', D2, on the diametricallyopposite side of the cylinder A (see Fig. 2). Two of these istons arenear one end of the cylinder A an the other two are near the o osite endthereof.

Each piston D', B2, D3, D4, D5, D, is of the same general shape as thepiston D, having its peri hery of the same length but being of precise yhalf the width and half the weight of the iston D. By this arrangementhalf the Weight of the pistons is carried on one side of the shaft andhalf on the other side thereof, thus providing perfect gravity andcentrifugal balance and as the motive fluid operates on opposite sidesof the cylinder, a perfect balance of pressure is insured.

The cylinder A is rovided with a series of rings or flan es E', `2, E3,E4, E5, E, E', E8, which may e formed thereon or rigidly attachedthereto in any suitable Way. They are all of the same diameterA andthickness and they serve to separate the pistons from each other and toprovide separate chambers for the several pistons. The peripheries ofthe ianges coincide with the peripheries of the pistons and they areadapted to move in close contact with the inner surface of the casing orhousing F. The middle piston D is arranged between the two middleiianges E4, E5. The pistons D and D2 are arranged between the flanges E,Ex and E, E', respectively, while the pistons D', D4, Ds and D,

not shown in Fig. 12, are arranged respecyelyeveen the flanges E', E2;E, E4; E,

it win be Observed that the two middle fianges E4, E are twice as farapart as each pair of the others and that all others are equidistantapart.

The cylinder A with its pistons and flanges, is arraned in a casing orhousing F, having standar sf, which support it on a base plate Thiscasing is open at opposite ends Vand is closed at top and ottom and forthe most part at the sides, but has suitable openi sf' to permit theentrance ofthe rotary lImtinents as presently described. The innersurface of the casing is concentric at all points with the axis of theshaft' B' and the peripheries of the flanges E', E2, etc. and thepistons D, D', etc. move in close steam-tight contact therewith. Inorderto prevent leakage from one piston compartment to the other, the flangesmay be rovided with suitable packing e, and in or er to prevent leakagebetween the outer surface of the pistons and the inner surface of thecasing, the istons may be equipped with lpacking as in icated at d. Suchpacking is preferably in the shape of steel rods or strips arran ed insuitable grooves in the peripheries of t e pistons.

As shown in Fig. 5, there isa dove-tail connection between the steelbars and the pistons so that there may be no possibilit of the barsbeing thrown out radially or otlierwise by centrifugal force. The sameresult may be accomplished by arranging the bars as shown in F' 12,where said bars are shown arranged 1n ordinary grooves but are made toextend partway across the adjacent flanges or rings. As these iiangesbear against the inner surface of the casing F at all times, there canbe no dan er of their being thrown out by centrifugal orce when thepistons are passin the recessed abutments.

On opposite si es of the driving-shaft B are mounted shafts H, I-I', ca.the rotary abutments I, I', I2, I3, I4, I5, The abutments are all ofthe same diameter as the cylinder A and are all of the same generalshape, but the abutment I is of twice the width and twice the weight ofeach of the others. The three abutments I, I', I2, are carried by oneshaft I-I', while the other four abutments are carried by the shaft I'I.Each abutment is of the shape shown in erspective in Figs. 10 and 11 andin vertica section in Fig. 4, having a general cylindrical form butbeing provided on one side with a recess f1', to accommodate itscompanion piston as the latter passes it. Each abutment is adapted tooperate between two of the rings E', E2, etc. on the cylinder A. Byreference to Fig. 4, it will be observed that when a piston passes anabutment, the recess in the abutmentcoincides with the piston but whenthe ecesi piston leaves the abutment, the periphery of the abutmentbears against the periphery of the cylinder A and makes steam-tightcontact therewith. (See Fig. 7). In order to insure such contact theperi hery of the cylinder A is preferably covere with vulcanized rubberA' which may be applied in any suitableway. 1n Fi 4 this covering isindicated, its ends being attached, as shown at but of course othersuitable material may be used and it may be attached to the cylinder inother ways.

Each rotary abutment carries in its recess a shoe J which bears at theproper time against the periphery of the corresponding piston andenables the piston to pass through the recess i without steam leakage.The shoe J is so connected with the abutment as indicated in Fig. 4,that it will automatically adjust itself to the periphery of the pistonand thus compensate for une ual wear.

The abutments are partial y inclosed by housings K, pro'ecting laterallyfrom the casing F and to W ich are secured housings L, L', L2, whichcompletely inclose the abutments. These housings are provided withpartitions l, against which the sides of the abutments bear and make aclose fit so as to avoid steam leakage. Preferably metallic packing,such as iron rods or bars, indicated at l', may be arranged in groovesin the edges of the abutments to prevent such leakage. This packing maybe arranged to pro erly bear against the sides of the housings L',

L2 and the partitions l.

The housing L incloses the abutments I, 1', 12,' the housing L', theabutments 13, 14, and the housing L2, the abutments 15, 1". Eachof thesehousings is detachably connected with the stationary housing K and theshafts H, H' are mounted in detachable bearings M, so that the shafts H,H', and the abutments carried thereby, may be conveniently moved bodilyfrom the engine and readily replaced therein. 1

As indicated in Figs. 4 and 7, at top and bottom of each opening f',there is a flange F2, armed with packing rods f2, against which theabutments bear as they rotate, making steam-ti ht connection and in rearof these flanges t ere is a steam space F3 in each comartment of theabutment housing. 1t will be understood that in the operation vof theengine, steam enters the space F3, and also passes out therefrom at eachoperation, but

y such steam pressure will always be maintained on the outer side oftheabutment as to countcrbalance the steam pressure on the inner sidethereof and thus such a balancing effect will be produced on theabutments as to relieve the parts from unequal strain and unequal wear.

The shafts B, H and H' are geared to r0- tate simultaneously atprecisely the same speed by means of spur-wheels N at opposite ends ofthe engine, as We deem it important to employ duplicate sets of gearingin order to insure coincident and equal rotation of the shafts. 1t isessential t0 produce the best results. The shaft B is supported near itso posite ends by means of cross-bars O, whic have yokes o, extendinbetween collars P, on the shafts H, H' yo es o', extending betweencollars P' on the shaft B and caps 02 secured to the yokes o' in whichthe shaft B turns. The several collars are held in place on the shaftsby set screws The bars O may be attached to the ends ofzthe cl inder Fby means of bolts P2. By mere-y withdrawing the bolts P2 and bydetach-ing the caps o2, the bars O may be lifted and thus separated fromthe shafts B, H and H'. The

shaft B, with its cylinder, flanges and pistns, may then be movedendwisc out of its casing. It will be observed that the casing has noend Walls or heads, the end flanges E', Es serving to close the ends ofthe cylinder and these are removable with the cylinder. 1n this Wayfriction between the ends of the rotary cylinder and any cylinder heads-is entirely avoided.l

The steam may be admitted to and exhausted from the engine in anysuitable way, but we prefer to do it in the manner l indicatedparticularly in Fig. 7, where we have shown a valve for so controllingthe admission and exhaust that the engine ma be very easily reversedwhen desired. indicates a ipe for connection with the boiler andindicates an exhaust pipe. These pipes are connected with a valve casingQ3, containing a rotary or oscillating va ve Q, controlled by a lever orhandle Q5. The pipes Q and Q' are preferably arranged on diametricallyopposite sides of the valve casing and from this casing projects pipesR, R', each of which is preferably arranged to enter the casing nndwaybetween the pipes Q, Q'. The ipes R, R' are connected with steam chestsS', S2, S3, formed on or secured to the casing F. The steam chests S, S2are used in connection with the pistons D3, D', D2, D, while the steamchests S', S3 are used in connection with the pistons D, D4, D5. Eachone of these steam chests may be used for the admission or for theexhaust of steam, depending for such use on the position of the valveQ4. As shown in Fig. 7, the valve Q4 is set to cause live steam to beadmitted to the steam chests S, and S2, while the exhaust is through thesteam chests S and S2. When the valve is shifted to the position shownin Fig. 8, admission Will be through the steam chests S' and S2, andexhaust through the steam chests S and S3, and when the valve is movedto the position shown in Fig. 9, the admission of steam from the boilerto the valve chest will be entirely shut off. There are se arate portsZ, Z', connecting the steam cliests with the steam chambers between theflanges E', E, etc. Each port Z or Z, is preferably made of the samewidth as the iston with which it coperates, which is t erefore the samewidth as the distance between the two adjacent flanges E', E, etc. Thisis indicated in Fig. 6 and these ports, it will be observed, arearranged to allow steam to impinge on the ends of the pistons and thusthe s team is caused to exert a certain force by its impact, as well asby its expansion.

Referring to Fig. 4, assuming that the valve Q4 is in the position shownin Fig. 7, steam is bein admitted to the steam chests S and S3. en thepiston D is in the position shown in Fi 4, steam'is not admitted throughthe port and the exhaust port Z is at this time closed, but it will beunderstood that at this time steam is being admitted and acting uponpistons on the diametrically op osite sides of the cylinder A and thusdea centers are avoided and the steam pressure on said pistons as well.as the momentum of the piston D carries said piston D to the ositionindicated in Fig. 7, when the ort is opened and steam is admitted. tthis time the rotary abutment I will have moved to the position shown inFig. 7 and the steam will collect in the space between the abutment andthe piston D. The abutment in effect presents a stationary or immovablewall against which steam exerts its pressure and this pressure re-actson the adjacent end of the piston D and causes it to rotate. Thisoperation is well understood by those familiar with this class ofengines. Steam will continue to enter through the ort Z until the pistonD has again reac ed the position shown in Fig. 4, or substantially thatposition, when the entrance of steam will be stopped and soon after thisthe head of the iston will uncover the exhaust port S and the steampreviously admitted will be exhausted through the pipe R. A similaroperation occurs in the several divisions of the engine and the severalparts of the mechanism act harmoniously to effect the desired operationsWithout unequal wear, unequal strains or unequal pressure, as hasheretofore been explained.

We claim as our invention:

1. A rotary engine comprising a pistoncarrying cylinder, a plurality ofpistons projectingfrom one side thereof, a plurality of istons of equalsize, shape and weight pro- Jecting from the diametrically opposite sidethereof, continuously rotating abutments coo erating with the pistons,gearin connecting t e` piston-carrying cylinder an the rotary abutments,and means for simultaneously admitting steam to pistons on oppositesides of the axis of the piston-carrying c linder, the organizationbeing such that pe ect gravity or centrifugal balance and steam balanceis produced while dead centers are avoided.

2. A rotary engine com rising a main shaft a cylinder mounted t ereonand provide on its geriphe flanges or rings of uniform diameter, acasing surroundin said flanges, pistons carried on opposite si es of thepiston-carrying cylinder between the flanges and arranged to effectgravity and centrifugal balance, continuously rotating recesse abutmentson opposite sides of said cooperating wit the pistons, and wearingconnecting the rota abutments with the piston-carrying cylin er.

` 3. A series of pistons on one side of the shaft, a series of pistonson the diametrically opposite side thereof, equal in size, shape andweight to those first mentioned, recessed rotary abutments on one sideof the shaft co erating with pistons on both sides thereo rotaryabutments on the opposite side of the pistoncarrying shaft alsocoperating with pistons on both sides of the shaft, and means foradmitting the motive fluid to some of the pistons on one side of theshaft and simultaneously to some of the pistons on the opposite sidethereof, the organization being such that perfect steam balance andcentrifugal or gravity balance is obtained and dead centers are avoided.

4. A rotary engine comprising a pistoncarrying-cylinder provided with aseries of spaced rings or iianges on its periphery, a casing surroundingsaid flanges and which is open at opposite ends to permit the withdrawalendwise of the piston-carrying-cylp inder with its flanges, rotaryabutments coperating with the pistons and detachable housings in whichsaid abutments are mounted.

5. A rota engine com rising a pistoncarrying cy inder provi ed withspaced flanges on its periphery, pistons arranged between said flanges,a casing, within which said pistoncarrying-cylinder rotates, recessedrotary abutments on opposite sides of the piston-carrying-cylinder,housings for said vrotary abutments having counterbalancing steampressure spaces, and gearing connecting the rotary abutments with thepistoncarrying-cylinder to cause them` to rotate therewith at the samespeed.

6. A rotary engine com rising a pistoncarrying cylinder provi ed with saced flanges on its periphery between whic the pistons are arranged, acasing surrounding said :lianges and open at opposite ends to perinitthe withdrawal endwise of the pistoncarryin -cylinder and to preventfriction at the en s or heads of the cylinders, rotary abutments onopposite sides of the pistoncarrying-cylinder and cooperating therewith,detachable housing sectionsfor the said abutments and detachablebearings for the abutments whereby the abutments maybe readily removedfrom the engine.

with a series of spaced v lpiston-carrying cylinder and v rotary enginecomprising@ shaft, `a I y chests for admission and exhaust and which isconnected with the piston-carrying-cylinder by ports of equal area withthe pistons and whlch ports deliver the motiveuid tangentially withreference to the cylinder, a reversing valve for governin 'the admissionand exhaust of the motive uid, and rotary abutments coperating with thepiston-carrying-cylinder.

8. A rotary engine comprising a pistoncarr ing-cylinder provided withspaced rings or anges on its peri hery a comparative y large plston onone si e of its axis, two other pistons of half the size on opposltesides of said first-mentioned iston but on the same side of the airislof t e cylinder; four other pistons of half the sizeof the rstfmentionedpiston arran ed on the diametrically opposite side of t e axis of thepiston-carryin cylinder, rotary abutments cooperating Wit the pistons,gearing connecting the abutments with the piston-carrying-cylinder andmeans for controlling the admission and exhaustAof the motive fluid.

9. rota engine comprisin a pistoncarryingcyrhynder, rovided with spacedflanges on its perip ery, Apistons arranged between the flanges,recessed rotary abutments cooperating with the pistons and selfadjustingshoes carried by the abutments within the recesses which bear upon theperipheries of the pistons.:

10. A rotary engine comprising a pistoncarrying-cylinder provided withspaced flanges on its periphery, pistons arranged between the flangesand having steel (packingbars on their peripheries, recesse rotaryabutments co erating with the pistons, self-adjustin s oes in therecesses of the abutments W 'ch bear on the peripheries of the pistons,housings for the abutments having packed steam-ti ht surfaces in contactwith which the periperies of the abutments move, and packing in thesides of the abutments to afford steam-tight connection with the sidesofthe abutment housings.

11. A rotary engine com rising a main shaft, a piston-carrying-cy derthereon, provided with spaced-flanges on its eriphery, pistons arrangedbetween said anges,

'rotary abutments on Opposite sides of the piston-carrying-cylinder, theshafts to which they are connected, gearing at opposite ends of the mainshaft and the rotary abutment shafts for causing all such shafts torotate simultaneously at the same speed, collars on said shafts, and theyoked end bars for connecting said shafts for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

BYRON B. BOWER, SR. GEORGE GORDON BOWER.

Witnesses:

JN0. E. DoNALsoN, 5 J. W. BUTrs.

